


Liquid Courage

by Vinyl_Metalhead (SkeletonGirl89)



Category: Metallica
Genre: Alcohol, Declarations Of Love, Drunk Kissing, Early 1980s, M/M, One Shot, Pre-Slash, Shy James Hetfield, human emotions are complicated, not beta read we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28144236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkeletonGirl89/pseuds/Vinyl_Metalhead
Summary: After Metallica plays a show at a local bar in San Francisco, James and Lars stumble home only for James to show Lars how he really feels.orJames kisses Lars in a drunk stupor but doesn’t want to talk about what he just did.
Relationships: James Hetfield/Lars Ulrich
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Liquid Courage

**Author's Note:**

> I got inspired by pictures of young James Hetfield while writing this, he looks so shy. So, have awkward young James who can't talk about his feelings and Lars who will always go after what he wants and knows that deep down James loves him the same.
> 
> This was originally going to be added to my James/Lars drabble series but then I thought it was too long. So enjoy it as a one-shot instead.

This is exactly where he wanted to be, in a bar, after a show, having James have his long arm slung over his shoulder with the bar supporting both of their weight.

He had a few beers in him already, and he was sure that James had drunk a few more than him. That’s why he was standing so close to him, but Lars was just taking in the extra body heat coming off the taller man. James' long sun-kissed blond hair from all those hours spent at the skatepark brushed against Lars' exposed shoulder now and again.  
  
“Come on man,” James said in his thick baritone voice, trying to pull him out of the bar and into the chilly San Francisco street.  
  
Lars followed after him, like a dog on a leach. Pressing himself close to James as they made the trip back to their house that they shared with the guys, Kirk was probably still at the bar talking up the rest of the locals and Cliff was most likely drinking himself into a stupor.  
  
“That was a great show,” Lars sluggishly said.  
  
“Yeah.” James looked over at him, pulling his destroyed denim jacket closer to him. “There was this one kid just losing it in the crowd, I think he lost a tooth at some point.” Lars couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his lips as James kept talking about the show and the fight that broke out during Kirk’s solo.  
  
They kept walking before getting to the house, letting themselves in, and toeing off their destroyed sneakers.  
  
“Hey Lars,” James said just as Lars started walking down the hallway towards their shared room.

“Yes?” He questioned. James stumbled over to him, shy and quite clumsy with his loud footsteps.

He felt James rest his hands on his arms, towering over him a bit. “I just…” James started to say before leaning in closer to him.

“I- “James cut himself off leaning down further before lightly pressing his chapped lips against Lars’ soft one. The feeling of callused fingers sent a shiver down Lars’ spine.

Lars pulled away, baffled by what just happened to him. He couldn’t help but start to think about what he had just experienced. But wasn’t given enough time as James started to shake his head once the realization had hit him of what he had just done. James moved to hurry out of the room, not giving Lars a second look.

“Wait,” Lars said, he reached out and just barely caught James wrist in his small grasp in the long hallway. James stopped walking but didn’t turn to look at him, too shy and closed off to let Lars look at him.

“Did you do that because you were drunk or…” He trailed off, too scared of what might come out of his mouth.  
  
Slow beat after beat, it made it seem like they had been standing there for hours. “Or… I guess. I mean, I’m not too sure if I’m still drunk or not but, I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” James said. Lars dropped his wrist ready to let James flee the scene.  
  
Lars knew what he felt for James, he knew he loved him, not as a brother, and more than just a bandmate but wasn’t sure what to call it. He always had this feeling when he was around James that he didn't know how to describe. He also knew that he was drunk, and none of his current thoughts were at all coherent.

“Can we talk about this in the morning?” Lars asked.  
  
James turned to finally look at him, he looked too scared, so small for someone taller than him. “I’m not sure I can.” He muttered.

Lars just nodded, understanding the need for the liquid courage. “Well, just know that…” Lars really didn’t know what to say to James, so he just said the truth. “I love you…” Lars let escape out.  
  
James looked at him slightly hiding behind his hair. He saw James reach out for him but quickly drop his hand not bothering to reach out for Lars any longer.  
  
“Yeah, love you too man.” James quietly said before leaving Lars standing there.  
  
Lars wasn’t sure what would happen in the morning when they both woke up from their alcohol-induced sleep, but one thing was for sure. Everything was going to be different now because he was pretty sure that he was in love with James, and James was with him.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr @[metalvinylgeek](https://metalvinylgeek.tumblr.com/) if you ever want to talk Metallica or fic writing.


End file.
